Regulator for liquid-fuel burners.



H. L. NICHOLSON & 8.8. WEEKS.

REGULATOR FOR LIQUID FUEL BURNERS.

APPLICATION FlLED JAN I2, 1915. 1,1 97,053. Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

IN V EN TOR. 4 Huffy L. Nltfialo'on Z 3 Jill 7123 \S. Wee/L:

WITNESSES QMW 19 W H. L. NICHOLSON & S. 8. WEEKS. REGULATOR FOR LIQUID FUEL BURNERS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 12, 19'5- 1,197,053. Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. L. NICHOLSON & S. S. WEEKS. REGULATOR FOR LIQUID FUEL BURNERS.

APPLICATION FILED IAN-12,!9l5- Patvnwd Sept. 5, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

TNESSES- IN VEN TOR.

1077] L. Nit/M110;

7 ATTORNEYS.

1- Referenee h'eing had to the accompanying UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTDEP 1 HARRY-L NICHO LSON AND SHIRLEY S. WEEKS. OF OAKLAND. CALIFORNIA. ASSIGNORS TO ASSOCIATED ENGINEERING AND SUPPLY COMPANY, OF'SAN FRANCISCO, CALI- FORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

REGULATOR FOR LIQUID-FUEL BURNERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

.- Application filed January 12. 191 5. Serial No. 1.762. f

To all who"). it may concern:

30 it known that reillanut LiNnuonsox and Summer S. lven citizensaif' the lnited Htates.-resiilil'ig at .(lakl'anlh in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful linprorelnents in. Regulators for Liquid-Fuel Burners. of which the following is a specitieation, r

This invention relatesfoimprorements in oil burningapparatus and more nirtieularly to means vfor regulatingthe fire in eonnection therc\\'ith..

-'lhe principal object of our invention is to prorirle lnealis'tor automaticallv regu lating the fires under one or a battery of boilers in :weorda n-e with the fluctuating of steam pressure therein. by simultaneously varying the quantity of liquid fuel, atonr izing medium and the draft. 4

Another object of of tinrention is to provide means for independently adjusting the flow of liquid fuel, atomizing medium, and air to the furnace in proper"proportions so that perfect combustion and the greatest etlieiency is secured, such adjustment remaining constant and independent of the regulating means, p

-.A jfurtherohject OfjOlll invention is to so construct the-apparatus that it will control the fires and vdrat'ts under. a. battery of boilers (whether they be. located together or at; a distance; and at the same time cause each of tlnvarious boilers to carry its proper share ofthe load. And still another object of our invention is to admit the liquid fuel, atoniizing.medium and air by steps rather than by a constant increase. the increased amount of each fluid for each step being predetermjned and adjustable;

I j [ith these-and other'objec'ts in view our ,inventioniconsists in the novel construction, arrangemeht and-"combination 'of parts as herein described and more specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

drawings. forming a part of this s ecificas 4 v rtion lflguro 1 is a view in front evation of a boiler showmg the, manner inwlneh our improved controlling apparatus is appliedthereto. Fig. dis a view in longitudinalsection through what is hereinafter termed; the; control valve Fig. 3 is a view sin section on 3 -3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view described a regiifl in section through 7 what is hereinafter termed the regulator."Fig. This a View in section on (3-13. ig; 1f riew ot' the damper u i d in connectii'vn with our device. Fig. I in section m S-h. Fig. (i, i I 1 I Referring to correspmiding parts hy'the same numerals of reference. 1 denotes a lIOlltl having the steam dome and the usual cast iron front 3. The doors closing the tire opening are denoted by and is the ash pit openings shown with tllP-(lmils rumored line T. the diselra pl line the d \idcd with the usual strainer 10 and overflow ll by which the surplus oilis returned to the storage tank.

A regulator denoted in general -hy 12.

adapted to (-ontrollhe fuel and'atonii'lting lluid of the fil'tfilil' steps. the larger fires being regulated lruniezins of the. control valve denoted in general'ln Band- 14, there-lie ingone of these a es' 'for each degree of heat except thelow st. F or the-purposeof this specifieatioif e 'liali'e illustrated and a'tbr and valve a rrangement for eontrollingthe fire in three steps, though any number of steps -fronr=two up may be used. The Valves'aresimilan'in constrn'ction and-are connected; with the steam pressure 'by meansof the pipe This pipe may be connected tirthesteam gage connection as sh0wn in the drawing. (indirectly into the steam dome boiler, or other position where true boiler' pressnre is -secnred.-

Referring to F1g. f-2showingame of the Patented Sept. 5, 1916.1

Fig; (lis a plan .-\n oi'li" 'iump (3 has the suction pipe b and steani sup Marge pipe s being pro control valves in oross'section; the'latter con'- in'g connected bysuitahle-pipe 25 with the overflow 11. .Th's'hperiihgs connect with the .mall central lmre ZGQand from the larger central horeQTavalve control pas sageway 28 is connected to a longitudinal passageway 29, which in turn-opens into the passageway 24 and so to the overflow.

Mounted o r the upp'er part of valve-.eas

I ing i? is af'fra'me 30 wherein is suitably mounted a valve rod 31 having attached within thebore 27 a valve disk 32 adapted,

to rest on the seat 33; This'tod passes through a suitable packing: gland, and surrounding the stem immediately above the; seat 33 is a chamber 36 c'onhected by a-ipassageway 35 with the passageway 29. .The u pper end' of thefframe 30is circular in form and seated" therein is a flexible :disk

.BLfan'd pressure chamber38 is formed on the upper side of'this'disk to which is-eoniie'cted the pipeI'J' from the-source ofstea-m spring 40 surrounding stem 36, has-its lower'end resting on an adjustable seat l1 and the upper end abutting against a meniber 42 on the underside of disk37. This "steam -passageway- 51 from which are three valve controlled passagewaysdenoted by 52, 53 andfi i, cont-rolled by valve or plug cocks denotedby 55. All these passageways open into a passage 56 from whi'eh'an exit :W'is

,1 provided, wh ichfis connected by a .pipe 58 to fillfifittfilii connection of the oil burners 59. Thleoil inlet 60 is connected by pipe 6E with fthe disehariie pipe 8 of the "oil pump, and

from, thispinlet' -i's provideda passageway 62,.extignd1ng across the casing. From the oletter{passageway in turn are provided three passageway s63, ($4 and 65, -opening into a common passageway 70, ct'gmmunicating in turn'wlth the exit 71. Each; of the passageways-(13, (i4 and 5 provided with a cock (if) by which the {low th'ereth-rough may be regulated. Communication between 64" and?!) and ($5gnn'il'70 is normally held closed by plungers 6'1v and {38' respectively, each 'plungerlieing provided with two' Iconical valve faces, the upper faces '69 "being adapted to close the passageways 53 and 54 while the other faces 69'f-clo'se-thepas'sageways 64 and 65. The exit 7lj-is' conne'cted by pipe 72 to the oil side of'the'burners 59. flhev p1ungers67 and 68' are'provided with a 55" rod 7 3 extending from the lower-end, passing th rough a suitable stalling box 74 in the lower en of the casing and are connected to the dioft regulators "as hereinafter described, ttached to these rods just below the plungers are pistons '75, between the underside of which, and the capof the" stuffing box, are springs 76 normally holding the plungers against their seats. The cavities 77 below the pistons are provided with an openingv78 and 78, the respective openings being connected by pipes and 81 -with theexits' -23 of the control valves 13 and 14 respectively.

The'd'oors of ash pit openings-5 are kept wide open when the boiler is in use, and if necessary, the openings are reduced in, size by meansvof permanent attached plates.33 to give the proper amount required by the largest fire. To regulate ,this opening for smaller sizeifires. we ,provide tworpair o'f pivotally mounted doors denoted by S4 and 85, the doors S4 being mountcdl'ion.shaft. 86

and doors 85 on shaft 87. These shafts are suitably supported in bearings 88 and each of the doors is formed in two overlapping parts shown more particularly in Fig. .6,

each part being separatelyattached or the shaft so thatthe parts may slide past each,

other, and will thus enable th e initia l opening around these dampers to be adjusted as required by the smallest fire. The ends of the shafts S6 and 37 are connected by means of cranks 90 and 91 with rods 73in such a. manner that when these rods move downwardly the two sets of dampers are rotated in opposite direction to open the draft, the

sh ft of one pair .of dampers serving as a stop for the other: pair.

Ve' also provide means for ,operatingthe stack dampers so that when the smallest fire is burning this damper is closed," or partly closed, and is opened as the, volume of the mounting on rods 'i3 a;sm all sheave wheel 95 and on the boiler frame sheave 'wheelsflfi and 97. Acable 98 is" thieadcd over these -.wheels asyshown, and made fastas' ii't99, the other end of this cable heingcarried up r-wardly'ancl connected sheave 100 carried by the rod 101 extending meda per '102. A counterweightj 10,315 attachedto rod 101 In such a manner "that ,ititends tohold the-damper closedandjcohsequentlly, if the cable should break, the-dampenwou 'd' be closed by the counterweight. j

1 The operation is as fi vllowsz ikssuniing that the boiler pressure'is normahthirt the cocks 55 and 66 are .open and that theta-m fire is: increased. llhis isQaccOmpliShed' by.

ms 59 are operating with but the smallest fire burning, then ;the oilxflow'si from the 'pump through, the discharge pipe 8 and 61 through the passageways 60, 62, 63,70, ,71

and 72,150 the burners, and at the sametlme, 1 Steam flows through. the gthetjginlet' '51'and through passageways 52, 56 and. 57

to the pipe 58and thence to'ithe burni's. The plungers 65 and 66 are held on theirresPeetive by means of the control valves 13 and 14 in the following manner: The pressure on t-he top of disk 37 is sufficient to counterbalancethe lift of spring 40 and so hold depressed the rod 3 1. This holdsunseated the valve 32 placing cavity 27 in communication through 36 and 29 with the overflow 24' and so prevents accumulation of pressure in this cavity. The oil pressureon the small head of piston 18 raises the latter and allows the oil pressure to flow from discharge 8 through pipe 22',

- helounnorma'l,fispring 40 of the valve set to pressure to a 'ter pulling do portions of eil'aiiti operatefirst, saj' 13, overcomes the pressure on the: upper side ofqthe diaphragm and the valve stein flil. travels upward closing the valve disk in seat which allows "runulate within. 27 through IL As thispressu re. accuthe bleed hole nulates the piston is forced downwardly owing to the upper head having a greater area than the lower; the under side of each head beingkit-atmospheric pressure through the overflow When the lower end of h ad 1 passes; the opening gn'essure is totf'therefrom and at the same time the ivzentrzi reduced portion of the piston places on in eoniinnmuetion with passageway24 il'iere y 7 g the oil under pressure, whirh is within the pi e 80, to be discharged t iimu'gh'the opening .4 into thewoverflow. This releases. the pre sure in chamber :77 of pi geri'ii'an wiiows the pressure on the uppervside of 1-. to :depress the lat the plunger opening the we; geway'is and 64. This downward movement eontir'zues until the piston comes "a contact Iwithr the up'peeportion' of the 'stnfiir'ig box T t-giving free-passageway. for 1am, from passageway- 51 to 56 and oil n fthe passsgewn-y2 to"71; The-inandfi-i respectively so that the correct pro? team are admitted indee'-dentothe pa. agewn-ys opened by the i "Vvhen tiiepiston 75. is'deprrssed moves dew; vardly turning the dampers- 5:11- and tlllff.

s't ilflfidamper rotated one-oi the sheaves 95; n evi'n downwardlyand pulling in a corresponding ainount of cable When the other -ro'd,mo ves down it corresponding amount of cable is pulled in which still further rotates the stack damper -10?2.-' if the pre sure continues to fall.the.='secon( l control valve 14: is thrown'injto operati'en',

rig-mixing the passageways 54 -and 65' thus mains below the point at which thesprings @lfiadjukted'this Condition holds and when 'hranch.connections ,frour outlets the thus-prevents theflhurneriy fronn-heing strilet-ion, m ;eii1b0di men tof 2d amounts of oilendisteam ere regu by eochsiiii. and 66 in passagewaysgfia 1;; en inereesed amount to? air to enter the furnace in order to give steam pressure @itfnd: mean; forzelf.

.7 2. In rconihin'i ers; a regularto I -.va ry;by step 57th 'fi elrnniiaatomikingr fluid admitted .tq-siid inrners, jtndzrpressure con.- admitting an additional flowioffoil a'nd the pressure rises the reverse action take-'3' plare; diaphragm 37 is depressed causing the valve 32 to open, pressure on the upper side of piston 18 is released, the latteruioves upward allowing oil under pressure to flow through the corresponding nine to the Gav: ity 77 of the corresponding plunger. This forces up theplungerwmd closes theflow of oil and steam and also (losesthe dauipers.

It will he understood that-by suitable valves 13 and H iay he made-to eont-i'olnny number of boilers If it sh uld he lesired' i to throw theautomatic eoiitrol out of operation it-is ineri-l'v necessary toopen the valve 43. whit'h prevents anaccumulation of pressure on the upper side of the piston lS-and thrown on to their full capacit v.; which is not desirable ,uude-r rertain conditions. as" when starting up. v e It will he understoqdiha-t while we have througihout the speei itiondesnfilied the i device asomsrating. ,oil as the tuehand steam as theatomixitifi medium, thatany liquid fuel may he used. and IRISQOQIHQCQSQU] air as'atomizing medilnmqnay be used,

When thesm i'llest-fi-1-eis hm'ningasutli} cient oneui -igisdeft. around the-dampers t and '95 to gi ve the; neck-s \i'V ir-fouperfect i nliustion, and'the roqiill daniounts-of oil and-steaui'. for Hi hest- 1s justed l v m ns mmv: i'.|-'vesin ;|.)a" .wa ys..(3 and {ms :ti -v her-at each of the-otlierste inents' whirl ($034K) prm'luceperfeet-con t-iOnhdJfO eai'hadjustable so th; :Ll'nQilllLi$ :tt(lll1itll6d atieac A r- While we. have sliown. thefreferre, I i'n ntion- 5 it jwyfill he understood that changes. he made in details. .0f designza'nd'eeo ruetijojiwithout departing"fl om the thereof; -e'l, p 1W'hat we elaim asrnew ind 1 wish to cover h Letters -'Putenti V E- l; The combination withpl'iqu dfueiburn; 1 ers, of a regulatorfcoinprisingindependent valve mechanisms vfor sumplying' liquid fuel and unxatomizing agent tosaidLburners at differentratesnd ..a controller: having means foi-"eti'e'c ng the =Joperationl ;of to e ..,s valve inechanisrii through" one range of ting: th operationpofi .he otherf yalve ineqhgniS throughfanotl're rqtigdpofifibtfzun pi n;withfliq iid fiiel b dapted to. simultaneously trolled Vailves one" for independently-g erning he operation of one; sep a, mmllfito mue on ra nzefo qileirme r sure. md another for :-i.ndepejnden tly-; EgOYferning the operation of said-regulator A0 another step through a different range of boiler pressure.

3, ln combination with liquid fuel burlr ers: a regulator having a plurality of passageways between the fuel inlet and the exit to said burners. and a plurality of passageways between the atomizing fluid inlet and the exit to said burners; plungers movable in said regulators adapted to simultaneously control one of the fuel passageways and one of the atomizingfluidpassageways. and pressure controlled valves adapted to cause the operation of said plungers.

vthe operation of said plunger-s.

In combination with liquid fuel burners; a regulator having a plurality of valve controlled passageways between the fuel inlet and the exit to said burners. and a plu-' rality of valve controlled passageways between the atomizing fluid inlet and the exit to said burners: plungers movable in said regulators adapted to simultaneously control one of the fuel passageways and one of the atomizing fluid passageways, pistons carried by said plungers having a given pressure on the plunger side thereof, and pressure controlled valves for governing the admission of an equal pressure to the other side of said pistons.

6. In combination with liquid fuel bumcrs, a regulator adapted to simultaneously vary by stepsthe admission of liquid fuel, atomizing medium and air to the combustion chamber, means for separately ad] usting the amount of fuel, atomizing medium, air admitted at' each step, and pressure controlled valves, one for independently causing the operation for each step of said re ulator.

In combination with liquid fuel burners; a regulator having a plurality of valve controlled passageways for'the liquid fuel and atomizing medium, a plurality of plungers, each adapted to simultaneously contnol one of the fuel passageways and one of the atomizing passageways, control valves'operated by the governed pressure for causing the operation of said plungers, and means operated by said plungers regulating the admission of air to the combustion chambers.

8. In combination with a regulator for liquid fuel burners, pressure controlled valves for governing said regulator each comprising a casing. a double headed piston movable in said casing, said heads being of unequal size, a stem connecting said heads and having a passageway therethrougll from the outer face of the larger head forming one side of a pressure chamber having an outlet passage communicating with the atmosphere. a valve controlling said outlet passage, a diaphragm operated by the controlled pressure, a stem connecting said diaphragm with said valve so that a surplus pressure on said diaphragm will open said valve.

9. In combination with a regulator for Bi. liquid fuel burners, pressure controlled valves for governing said regulator, each consisting of a cavity having a fluid pressure inlet, a fluid pressure outlet, an outlet to atmospheric pxessure and a central cavity 'commnnitating \vf'ith said inlet and said outlets, a double ieaded piston movable in said central cavity and having heads of unequal area and connected by a stem of reduced area, the smaller head having the fluid pressure continuously applied to the under face and adapted to place said pressure outlet in communication either with said inlet or said outlet to atmospheric pressure, the inner faces of said heads being continuously irf communication with said outlet to atmospheric pressure, said piston having a passageway therethroughfrom the outer face of the smaller head to a cavity in the outer face of the larger head and whereon the latter moves, the casing being provided with a connecting passageway from said cavity to the outlet to atmosphericpressure, a valve within said cavity controlling the said connecting passageway, a 10; diaphragm subject to the action of the controlled pressure, and means connecting said diaphragm with said valve and a manually operated valve for opening a passage between said cavity and said connecting pas f t sageway.

10. In combination with steamboilers and liquid fuel burners therefor; of a regulator for governing the admission of fuel to saidburners by steps, dampers pivotally mounted in the air supply opening of said boiler and a positive mechanical connecting means between said regulator and the dampersbywhich each step in the admission of fuel to said burners produces a corresponding i l? change in the position of said dampers. 11. In combination with steam boilers and liquid fuel burners therefor, a regulator governing the admission of fuel to saidfi burners by steps, dampers corresponding in 12$,

number to the number of steps of said regw lator pivotally mounted in the air supply opening under said boiler, and positive'mechanica'l means, connecting said dampers i with said regulator whereby a change in any step of said regulator'produces a correspending change in one of the said dampers. 12'. The combination with liquid fuel burners, of a regulator comprising a plunger 5 for controlling the liquid fuel and the atomiziug fluid to the burners and a member attached to said plunger for controlling the air admitted to the combustion chamber.

13. The combination with liquid fuel hurners; of a regulator comprising a plunger ha vingvalves for controlling the liquid fuel and the atomizing lluid to the burners and a rod attached to said plunger for controlling the air admitted to the combustion 5 chamber.

H. The combination ivith liquid fuel- -burners, of a regulator for controlling the liquid fuel and the 'atomizing fluid to said burners and a controlling valve device for 20 said regulator comprising a main valve for varying the pressure on said regulator to operate same; a diaphragm subject to the controlled pressure, and a pilot valve oper- -ated by said diaphragm for varying the 25 pressure on said main valve to operate same. 15. The combination with liquid fuel burners, of a regulator for controlling the liquid fuel and the atomizing fluid to said" burners and a controlling valve device for 80 said regulator con'qirising a main valve for varying the pressure on said regulator to fully open and close same, a diaphragm subject to the controlled pressure, and a pilot val ve operated by said diaphragm under a "action in the controlled pressure for op erating the main valve to effect the opening of the regulatorvand upon an increase in the controlled pressure for operating the .main valve to effect the closure of the regulator.

16. The combination with liquid fuel burners, of a regulator operated by liquid under-pressure for controlling the liquid fuel and the atomizi'ng fluid to said burners, a controlling valve device governed by the controlled; pressure for supplying liquid under pressure to operate said regulator,

and a pump for maintaining the liquid under a constant pressure.

17. The combination with liquid fuel burner of a regulator operated by liquid fuel under pressure for controlling the liquid fuel and the atomizing fluid to said burners, a controlling valve device governed by the controlled pressure for supplying liquid fuel for operating said regulator, and a pump for maintaining said liquid fuel under a constant pressure.

In testimony \vhereof \ve afiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

. HARRY-L.- NICHOLSON.

SHIRLEY S. WEEKS. \Vitnesses:

R. M. OYARzo, Vl'. &. STOCK. 

